1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to exercise devices and more generally to methods, systems, and devices for selectively modifying a resistance level of an exercise device.
2. The Relevant Technology
In recent years, there has been a trend towards the use of exercise equipment, whether it is at a gym or at home. Although gym exercise equipment provides many benefits to an exercising user, it is typically expensive to become a member of the gym and usually time consuming and inconvenient to exercise at the gym. Many individuals are turning to home exercise equipment to obtain the health benefits associated with daily exercising.
Although home exercise equipment is more convenient to use, in many instances the devices are cumbersome and difficult to use. For instance, many multi-gym exercise devices use free weights or other heavy weights to provide resistance during an exercise regime. These weights make positioning and subsequent movement of the exercise device difficult. Typically, once a multi-gym device has been set-up in one position, it will remain there for a significant amount of time without being moved. When the device is to be moved, the owner must spend a long period to dismantle the device, move the parts to the new position within the home, and reassemble the exercise device. Additionally, use of such a multi-gym device requires the user to set aside a significant amount of space within the user""s home. This reduces the livable space within the home and typically requires that an area of the home be dedicated to the performance of exercise regimes. It would be preferential to have an exercise device that is mobile and capable of being repositioned to allow the user to utilize the space within his or her home.
Typical exercise devices use weights to provide resistance to an exercising user. The selection of weights may be difficult to achieve before and during an exercise regime. Additionally, selection of a particular resistance is limited to the incremental weights provided with the exercise device. For instance, the adjustability of the exercise device to a particular weight is often limited by the minimum numerical weight value of the weights included with the exercise device. It would be beneficial to have an exercise device where very small incremental changes in the exercise resistance were possible.
In addition to the above, the adjustability of the exercise device limits the usability of the exercise device. Many exercise devices require removal of pins and repositioning of weights to vary the resistance applied to an exercising user. This may be time consuming and difficult to achieve depending the particular configuration of the exercise device. Over time, there is a high likelihood that the pins associated with the exercise device will become lost, thereby preventing a user exercising using the exercise device.
Some exercise devices attempt to overcome the limitations associated with the use of heavy weights to provide resistance to an exercising user. These exercising devices may utilize gas or fluid cylinders that provide a resistance as a user exercises upon the exercise device. A gas or fluid within an interior chamber of the cylinder may flow through a variable restriction member that may govern the resistance applied by the cylinder. For instance, when the restriction member allows a high flow rate of fluid therethrough, the resistance applied by the cylinder is low. Similarly, when the restriction member allows a low flow rate, the cylinder provides a high resistance to the exercising user.
Although beneficial in reducing the overall weight of an exercise device, and thereby enabling repositioning of an exercise device in a simple and efficient manner, the effectiveness and long-term usage of certain gas cylinders may be limited. Over time, the gas or fluid contained within the cylinder may leak. This can result in the cylinder providing a lesser amount of resistance than was possible when the cylinder was newly manufactured.
Based upon the above, it would beneficial to have an exercise device that is simple to position through reducing the overall weight of the exercise device, while providing a resistance mechanism that is easily adjustable, while maintaining the level of resistance associated with the exercise device over a long period.
The present invention generally relates to an exercise device that is capable of being readily adjustable to provide variable resistance to an exerciser using the exercise device. The adjustable resistance of the exercise device may be easily and efficiently modified through simply operating a handle mechanism, repositioning the handle mechanism to a new position, and subsequently releasing the handle mechanism to set the resistance for the exercise device. This provides an exercise device that may be easily adjusted without the need to remove pins, reposition a resistance mechanism or weights upon the device, or reposition a pin or other fastener removed from the exercise device. Additionally, the exercise device is adapted to provide a resistance assembly that has compact characteristics, thereby limiting the overall space required or associated with the exercise device.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the exercise device includes a frame that at least partially supports at least one exercise mechanism, such as (i) a leg exerciser or (ii) overhead handles that may be used to perform exercises. A connecting system, such as a cable and pulley system connects the exercise mechanism to a resistance assembly that is coupled to the frame. The resistance assembly provides resistance to the motion of the exercise mechanisms and hence resistance to the motion of the user exercising with the exercise device.
The resistance assembly includes: (i) a pivoting arm pivotally coupled to the frame; (ii) an actuating assembly that engages the pivoting arm; and (iii) at least one extendible, resilient resistance member. Resistance levels of the exercise device may be selected as a user moves the actuating assembly relative to the pivoting arm. The closer the actuating assembly is to the pivoting axis of the arm, the lower the level of resistance provided to the user""s motion. Inversely, the further the actuating assembly is from the pivoting axis of the arm, the higher the level of resistance provided to the user""s motion.
In one embodiment, the actuating assembly couples to a resilient resistance member such as a rubber band or spring that is coupled to the frame. The resilient member resists movement of the actuating assembly and consequently of the pivoting arm. By employing the resilient member, the use of a shock is avoided. Furthermore, the resilient member is strategically oriented so that the resistance assembly is compact and highly efficient.
The actuating assembly includes a handle mechanism that is simple to operate and enables a user to easily select a desirable resistance level. The handle mechanism includes a fixed member and a moveable member pivotally connected to the fixed member and biased from the fixed member. Disposed at an end of the moveable member is an engagement member that is adapted to cooperate with at least one aperture formed in the pivoting arm. As a user overcomes the biasing force between the fixed member and the moveable member, the engagement member is removed from an aperture to allow movement of the handle mechanism relative to the arm. When a new resistance level is selected, such as when the handle mechanism has been moved to a selected position on the arm, a user may allow the biasing force to move the moveable member relative to the fixed member to position the engagement member within another aperture. This positioning of the engagement member within another aperture locks the position of the handle mechanism and hence sets the selected resistance level.
Extending from the handle mechanism is a connecting member. The connecting member cooperates with the resilient resistance member and functions to move a moveable end of the resistance member as a user moves the operable mechanism. The position of the handle mechanism upon the pivoting arm and the amount that the connecting system is moved governs the amount of movement of the resistance member""s moveable end. With the handle mechanism close to the pivotal axis of the arm, the amount of movement of the resistance member""s moveable end is small and so the level of resistance is small. Similarly, with the handle mechanism being distant from the pivotal axis of the arm, the amount of movement of the resistance member""s moveable end is large and so the level of resistance is large. A variety of resistance selections in between are also available.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the exercise device includes a motorized resistance assembly. The resistance assembly includes an arm assembly pivotally connected to a frame of the exercise device. The arm assembly includes an arm with one or more arced surfaces that cooperate with a connecting assembly of the exercise device. A cross member of the connecting assembly slides along the arced surfaces as a motor rotates a drive member connected to the arm. As the cross member moves along the drive member, the position of at least one connecting member relative to at least one resistance member changes. The position of the cross member and/or the connecting member defines the resistance level of the resistance assembly.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.